Peter Vaughan, ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Porridge’ Actor, Dies at 93
Actor Peter Vaughan, best known for his performances as Maester Aemon on “Game of Thrones” and Harry “Grouty” Grout on the BBC sitcom “Porridge,” has died at the age of 93. According to his agent Sally Long-Innes, Vaughan passed away “at approximately 10:30 this morning” and “died peacefully with his family around him.”
The actor began his career at the Wolverhampton Repertory theater company before joining the army during World War II where he served as an officer in Normandy, Belgium and then later, the Far East. After the war, he returned to the stage where he played a bevy of roles for many years.
His first film performance was in Ralph Thomas’ 1959 film “The 39 Steps,” a loose remake of the Alfred Hitchcock film by the same name, but his first lead performance was in the 1966 film “Smokescreen” as insurance salesman Mr. Roper.
He appeared in a number of roles throughout the 1970s, including in films like “Straw Dogs,” “The Pied Piper” and “Valentino.” In the 1980s, he appeared in Terry Gilliam’s “Time Bandits” and “Brazil,” as well as in “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” alongside Meryl Streep. In the 90s, he played Anthony Hopkins’ father in James Ivory’s “The Remains of the Day” and as Giles Corey in the 1996 adaptation of “The Crucible.”
As for television, Vaughan became a fan favorite as Grouty on “Porridge” despite only appearing in three episodes and the feature film. He also had supporting roles in “Citizen Smith” and “Chancer.” His final major role on “Game of Thrones” came when Vaughan was almost 90 year old. His last episode on the series was “The Gift” in 2015.
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